A method and an arrangement of the above type are disclosed in United States patent application Ser. No. 165,276, now abandoned, filed on Feb. 26, 1988. Here, a monitoring arrangement for an electronic control apparatus in a motor vehicle is disclosed with a detecting unit for detecting an operating parameter of the engine and/or of the vehicle. The detecting unit detects especially the particular position of a component determining the power of the engine such as the throttle flap or control rod and/or accelerator pedal. The signal values emitted by the detecting unit are compared to pregiven limit values so that a conclusion can be drawn as to defect conditions in the detecting unit.
This procedure cannot ensure a reliable check of the particular detecting unit since it is possible that types of defects which occur such as shunts with stray resistance between signal leads and supply voltage cannot be detected and therefore driving conditions can develop which are nonetheless critical with respect to safety.